WEBVTT 00:01.516 --> 00:04.156 Welcome to the Valley Baptist Church Sermon Podcast. 00:04.896 --> 00:08.256 We're so glad you're here, and we hope this message inspires you, 00:08.476 --> 00:12.036 builds your faith, and moves you toward a deep relationship with God. 00:12.576 --> 00:15.156 Today, you'll find great insight into the Bible 00:15.156 --> 00:17.836 and learn how you can apply it straight to your life. 00:18.216 --> 00:20.396 So welcome and enjoy the message. 00:21.036 --> 00:25.276 If you have your Bible, please go ahead and open it with me to 1 Thessalonians 00:25.276 --> 00:30.456 chapter 4 in a message I'm calling The Hope of His Coming. 00:32.127 --> 00:36.907 One of the dominant themes of 1 Thessalonians is the second coming of Jesus. 00:37.087 --> 00:40.727 In fact, all five chapters speak of his coming. 00:41.560 --> 00:45.020 which is the word parousia in Greek. 00:45.020 --> 00:49.940 It means to come alongside of, to arrive and be present. 00:49.940 --> 00:52.780 Paul ends chapter four and begins chapter five 00:52.780 --> 00:57.000 by speaking of the Lord's coming, his parousia. 00:57.000 --> 01:01.220 Today's passage is one of my favorite passages 01:01.220 --> 01:02.420 in all of the Bible. 01:02.420 --> 01:05.100 It speaks of the death of believers, 01:05.100 --> 01:07.800 the future resurrection of our bodies 01:07.800 --> 01:10.580 and the return of our Lord. 01:10.703 --> 01:15.303 Now to set the context, you've got to remember that the Apostle Paul, Silas, and a young 01:15.303 --> 01:21.083 man named Timothy had traveled to a city called Thessalonica. 01:21.083 --> 01:26.883 And according to Acts chapter 17, as they shared the gospel with them, many of the God-fearing 01:26.883 --> 01:31.683 Greeks believed and some of the prominent women leaders also believed. 01:31.683 --> 01:38.823 But eventually they were kicked out of the city by the Jews and the city officials and 01:38.834 --> 01:43.874 Little church had formed, though, but they weren't able to be with these new believers for very long. 01:43.994 --> 01:45.514 And so they're away. 01:45.674 --> 01:52.414 And a number of months later, the Apostle Paul sends Timothy back to the church to find out how they were doing. 01:52.754 --> 02:01.054 And Timothy now returns back to Paul and he has this glowing report about their work of faith, about their labor of love. 02:01.074 --> 02:04.554 But he also brought back something that was troubling. 02:05.345 --> 02:12.265 the Thessalonians about the return of Christ. They thought, they were convinced that Jesus was 02:12.265 --> 02:18.905 going to come back in their own lifetime. But now some of their loved ones in the church had begun 02:18.905 --> 02:24.485 to die. And so they were deeply grieving their loss, thinking that those who died were somehow 02:24.485 --> 02:30.185 going to miss out on Christ's return. They were going to miss out on his kingdom's reign upon the 02:30.472 --> 02:37.232 And so Paul writes to encourage them and to comfort them by informing them. 02:37.947 --> 02:39.387 He says in verse number 13, he says, 02:39.507 --> 02:45.587 but I don't want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep. 02:45.827 --> 02:50.307 Now, fallen asleep clearly is a euphemism for death. 02:50.827 --> 02:56.067 You see, God wants us to be informed about what happens to Christians after they die. 02:56.787 --> 02:58.247 He says, I don't want you to be ignorant about it. 02:58.247 --> 03:01.747 Now, there's a saying in our culture that ignorance is bliss. 03:01.887 --> 03:03.587 Well, not when it comes to death. 03:04.272 --> 03:09.032 When it comes to death, ignorance is an absolute nightmare. 03:09.032 --> 03:11.612 Most people have a fear of dying 03:11.612 --> 03:14.032 because they have a fear of the unknown. 03:14.032 --> 03:15.712 What's gonna happen to me when I die? 03:15.712 --> 03:16.732 Where am I gonna go? 03:16.732 --> 03:18.612 Am I gonna just cease existing? 03:18.612 --> 03:20.572 I don't wanna cease existing. 03:20.572 --> 03:25.152 And so many people fear death greatly because of ignorance. 03:25.484 --> 03:33.064 And Paul says, I don't want you, brothers, to be ignorant about what happens to Christians after they die. 03:33.204 --> 03:38.124 And then he goes on to write about the return of our Lord, the return of Jesus. 03:38.124 --> 03:44.184 So obviously, God also doesn't want us to be ignorant about God's plan regarding future events. 03:45.110 --> 03:51.770 Now, there's two extremes out there when it comes to a Christian's approach to end time events. 03:52.150 --> 03:54.750 Some people are just obsessed by it. 03:54.790 --> 03:59.150 I mean, they've got one Bible in one hand and they've got the newspaper in the other. 03:59.250 --> 04:03.250 And they're reading every current event into prophecy and they're connecting the dots. 04:03.250 --> 04:06.290 They seem to be speculating obsessively about it. 04:07.283 --> 04:10.563 The other extreme though are Christians who never think 04:10.563 --> 04:12.283 about the second coming of Jesus. 04:12.283 --> 04:15.463 They are content to remain ignorant. 04:15.463 --> 04:18.503 And I don't think God wants us to be in either camp. 04:18.503 --> 04:20.583 See, prophecy in the Bible wasn't given 04:20.583 --> 04:23.263 so that we could know every detail 04:23.263 --> 04:24.823 that's going to happen in the future. 04:24.823 --> 04:27.683 It was given though to give us hope. 04:27.683 --> 04:30.343 It was given to help us be prepared. 04:30.343 --> 04:31.523 And in order to have hope, 04:31.523 --> 04:35.743 in order to watch and be prepared, we must be informed. 04:35.735 --> 04:37.415 So I want to read again verse 13. 04:37.555 --> 04:46.975 He says, but I don't want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 04:47.015 --> 04:49.695 And he's going to go on to talk about the return of Christ. 04:49.855 --> 04:53.415 Now, the Thessalonians, they were grieving their loved ones who had died. 04:53.515 --> 04:54.795 And Paul says, that's okay. 04:55.535 --> 04:56.755 It's okay to grieve. 04:57.355 --> 04:59.095 But I want to help you grieve today. 05:00.153 --> 05:05.433 with hope. You see, as Christians, we grieve very differently than the rest of the world 05:05.433 --> 05:11.713 around us, or we should, because we grieve with a sense of hope. Now, I personally know 05:11.713 --> 05:20.993 the pain of losing a loved one, but I cannot imagine the pain of losing a loved one with no hope. 05:21.922 --> 05:25.282 You know, that's how most of the world faces death, with no hope. 05:25.702 --> 05:30.062 You see, if a person dies without knowing Jesus as their Savior and their Lord, 05:30.122 --> 05:33.222 without receiving Him, that's absolutely tragic. 05:33.342 --> 05:35.122 Why? Because there's no hope for that person. 05:35.882 --> 05:38.342 Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 05:38.442 --> 05:40.742 No man comes to the Father except through me. 05:40.962 --> 05:43.522 So if a person never opens their heart to Jesus, 05:43.522 --> 05:49.122 if a person rejects Jesus and what He did on the cross for them, 05:49.124 --> 05:53.064 then they die without hope, and that's a terrible thing. 05:53.764 --> 05:59.704 But for you and I, those of us who know Jesus personally as our Savior and our Lord, 05:59.804 --> 06:01.384 there's a great sense of hope, isn't there? 06:01.804 --> 06:08.364 And Paul's going to tell us that that hope is actually anchored in the fact that someday Jesus is coming back for us. 06:09.307 --> 06:14.047 Now, just because we grieve differently doesn't mean we don't grieve. 06:14.527 --> 06:15.807 Because we do grieve, don't we? 06:15.967 --> 06:21.107 Sometimes we grieve intensely, but our grief is not connected to despair. 06:21.387 --> 06:23.167 It's connected to love, isn't it? 06:23.747 --> 06:29.927 I mean, when Jesus' friend Lazarus died, the Bible says Jesus wept. 06:30.667 --> 06:31.526 Jesus wept. 06:31.527 --> 06:35.867 Now, Jesus, he knew he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, and yet he wept. 06:35.947 --> 06:37.726 Why? 06:37.727 --> 06:38.246 Love. 06:38.247 --> 06:39.174 Love. 06:39.175 --> 06:45.875 I think he was mourning the terrible consequences of sin that had struck his friend Lazarus, whom he loved, 06:45.955 --> 06:50.175 and the separation that took place, even temporarily, was painful. 06:51.215 --> 06:57.855 And so when one of our loved ones dies who knows Jesus, we grieve, we sorrow, because the separation is real. 06:57.855 --> 07:02.515 But we grieve very differently than others, because the separation is not final. 07:02.952 --> 07:06.592 Paul uses the euphemism here of sleep. 07:06.592 --> 07:08.232 He calls it sleep. 07:08.232 --> 07:09.852 You see, for the believer, 07:09.852 --> 07:13.052 dying is sort of like falling asleep. 07:13.052 --> 07:14.532 Now, how's that the case? 07:14.532 --> 07:18.432 Well, when we fall asleep, it's temporary, isn't it? 07:18.432 --> 07:21.652 We fall asleep only later to wake up. 07:21.652 --> 07:24.552 Well, when our bodies die, it also is temporary. 07:24.552 --> 07:26.732 Eventually our bodies are gonna wake up again. 07:26.732 --> 07:29.172 And that's actually what this passage is about. 07:29.260 --> 07:35.760 Now, the euphemism sleep also helps us understand that when our Christian loved ones die, 07:36.660 --> 07:38.940 they're not actually ultimately dead. 07:40.010 --> 07:43.430 They're still alive in the presence of God 07:43.430 --> 07:45.630 as their body sleeps. 07:45.630 --> 07:47.330 The Bible says to be absent from the body 07:47.330 --> 07:50.350 is to be present with the Lord. 07:50.350 --> 07:52.670 Now, Jesus was actually the very first person 07:52.670 --> 07:57.770 to use this euphemism of sleep in regards to death 07:57.770 --> 08:00.990 when he referred to his friend Lazarus, who had died. 08:00.990 --> 08:03.190 We see that in John chapter 11. 08:03.179 --> 08:08.679 Verse number 11, it says, and after he said that to them, Jesus says to his disciples, he says, 08:08.679 --> 08:12.879 our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up. 08:13.419 --> 08:16.059 Then his disciples said, Lord, if he sleeps, he'll get well. 08:16.719 --> 08:21.619 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought he was speaking about taking rest in sleep. 08:22.400 --> 08:27.400 So Jesus said that his dead friend was actually sleeping. 08:27.960 --> 08:31.200 Now we know that Jesus eventually made his way to Bethany, 08:31.200 --> 08:33.920 which is just a couple of miles outside of Jerusalem. 08:33.920 --> 08:36.640 And when he arrived, Martha, 08:36.640 --> 08:39.520 Lazarus's sister comes running out to meet him. 08:39.520 --> 08:41.920 And she said, if you had just been here, 08:41.920 --> 08:43.340 our brother would still be alive. 08:43.340 --> 08:45.540 You see, Martha had seen the other miracles. 08:45.540 --> 08:47.120 She knew what Jesus could have done. 08:47.120 --> 08:50.300 And so she's blaming him kind of, she's upset. 08:50.300 --> 08:52.240 And she's saying, if you'd just been here, 08:53.028 --> 08:54.688 Lazarus would still be among us. 08:55.148 --> 08:59.328 And in the midst of that correspondence, that relationship, Jesus said to her in verse 25, 09:00.168 --> 09:02.248 He said, I am the resurrection and the life. 09:02.808 --> 09:06.808 He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. 09:06.808 --> 09:10.548 And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. 09:11.668 --> 09:12.708 He says, do you believe this? 09:13.514 --> 09:17.194 Jesus basically was saying in this chapter, he said, Lazarus is sleeping. 09:17.334 --> 09:17.733 Why? 09:17.734 --> 09:21.334 Because for those who believe in me, death is very temporary. 09:21.534 --> 09:22.513 They're going to wake up. 09:22.514 --> 09:24.554 And though they die, they're actually alive. 09:25.174 --> 09:26.533 They never die. 09:26.534 --> 09:29.194 So Paul is picking up on this teaching of our Lord. 09:29.234 --> 09:30.954 And he's saying, I know death is awful. 09:31.354 --> 09:32.554 I know we grieve it. 09:32.694 --> 09:33.733 I know it's a terrible thing. 09:33.734 --> 09:34.914 But it's not the end. 09:35.114 --> 09:39.134 It's actually more like falling asleep than dying. 09:39.940 --> 09:45.080 Now, I don't know anyone who's afraid of falling asleep. 09:45.960 --> 09:49.460 In fact, I look forward to a good afternoon nap today, later. 09:51.240 --> 09:55.940 As a little kid, I remember falling asleep in the car from time to time, 09:55.940 --> 10:02.160 and my dad would grab me, and he would sometimes carry me to my bed, right? 10:02.340 --> 10:07.720 And occasionally, as he's carrying me to my bed, I would wake up while he was carrying me. 10:08.560 --> 10:10.440 Folks, that's what it's like, 10:10.440 --> 10:12.140 gonna be like for you and I as believers. 10:12.140 --> 10:14.220 One moment we fall asleep in this world, 10:14.220 --> 10:17.840 the next moment we wake up in the arms of Jesus. 10:17.840 --> 10:19.880 The Bible says to be absent from the body 10:19.880 --> 10:21.480 is to be present with the Lord. 10:21.480 --> 10:23.640 So what exactly happens when we die? 10:23.640 --> 10:27.480 Well, when we die, our spirit becomes absent from our body. 10:27.480 --> 10:31.540 It departs, we are separated, it's separated from our body. 10:31.540 --> 10:34.880 You see, death fundamentally is separation. 10:34.885 --> 10:41.365 When we are spiritually dead, that means that our spirit is separated from the spirit of God because of our sin. 10:42.045 --> 10:45.625 Physical death is when our spirit is separated from our body. 10:45.965 --> 10:57.665 And for the believer, the moment our spirit is absent from the body, the moment it departs and is separated from our body is the moment that is in the presence of Jesus. 10:58.932 --> 11:03.792 See, we're not just flesh and bones like our culture says we are. 11:04.172 --> 11:06.812 We're not just material or corporal. 11:07.252 --> 11:09.292 We are spiritual beings. 11:11.192 --> 11:14.552 My sister Charity was hit by a car and she was killed. 11:14.632 --> 11:19.952 My brother Matthew asked, you know, where is Charity at? 11:19.952 --> 11:22.932 And my parents explained to him that she was in heaven. 11:24.110 --> 11:29.910 And he was having a hard time getting his mind around that, as any of us do when we lose a loved one. 11:30.450 --> 11:34.590 But certainly as a little five-year-old, he was having a hard time comprehending it. 11:34.670 --> 11:36.190 He had just been with her. 11:36.390 --> 11:37.890 Her body is still here. 11:37.990 --> 11:42.290 And so my dad was trying to explain it, so he reached into the fridge, and he grabbed a Dr. Pepper. 11:42.850 --> 11:45.490 And he said, son, what is this in my hand? 11:45.550 --> 11:47.230 And he said, it's a Dr. Pepper, daddy. 11:47.910 --> 11:50.650 And he opened the Dr. Pepper, and he poured it down the sink. 11:50.690 --> 11:52.010 And he said, Matt, what? 11:52.628 --> 11:53.848 What is it? 11:53.848 --> 11:56.628 He said, it's a Dr. Pepper, Daddy. 11:56.628 --> 12:01.408 And he said, no, look, there's nothing inside. 12:01.408 --> 12:03.868 It's empty, it's just the can. 12:03.868 --> 12:07.388 You see, God created us as spiritual beings. 12:07.388 --> 12:09.328 And when the body dies, and our body is important, 12:09.328 --> 12:12.048 by the way, that's what this chapter is about in many ways. 12:12.048 --> 12:16.088 But when you're a believer, your spirit, when you die, 12:16.088 --> 12:21.408 your spirit goes to be with the Lord and your can, 12:21.400 --> 12:24.960 Your shell, your body is left behind. 12:25.100 --> 12:31.560 And that fact allows all of us as believers in Christ to grieve very differently than the rest of the world. 12:32.340 --> 12:38.820 You see, the person who dies without knowing Jesus, we grieve for them, don't we? 12:39.372 --> 12:44.372 There's no hope. It's like a hopeless situation. It's a terrible, terrible thought. But when the 12:44.372 --> 12:50.872 believer dies, we don't grieve for them. We grieve for us, don't we? The grief is very different. 12:51.272 --> 12:55.912 We grieve because we miss them. We want to be with them. We don't want to be separated from them. 12:57.492 --> 13:03.792 When I first walked into the living room where my dad's dead body lay, 13:05.866 --> 13:10.566 I immediately began grieving and rejoicing simultaneously. 13:10.566 --> 13:14.146 It's hard to explain those two intense emotions, 13:14.146 --> 13:17.246 both at the same time, I was crying with a smile on my face. 13:17.246 --> 13:19.486 I said, dad's not here. 13:19.486 --> 13:20.385 That's not dad. 13:20.386 --> 13:21.406 Dad is not here. 13:21.406 --> 13:24.526 He is now in the presence of Jesus. 13:24.526 --> 13:27.226 To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. 13:27.226 --> 13:31.166 Now, Paul explains more about where our hope is grounded 13:31.166 --> 13:32.806 in verse number 14. 13:33.203 --> 13:40.563 He says, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. 13:41.123 --> 13:48.683 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 13:49.183 --> 13:55.363 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God. 13:55.363 --> 13:57.763 And the dead in Christ will rise first. 13:58.443 --> 13:59.483 And we... 13:59.765 --> 14:01.205 who are alive and remain, 14:01.785 --> 14:04.405 shall be caught up together with them in the clouds 14:04.405 --> 14:05.765 to meet the Lord in the air. 14:06.045 --> 14:08.765 And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 14:09.465 --> 14:12.505 Therefore, comfort one another with these words. 14:13.365 --> 14:16.585 Paul ends this chapter to these people 14:16.585 --> 14:18.945 who are grieving the loss of their loved ones, 14:18.985 --> 14:20.785 and he ends it by commanding them, 14:20.785 --> 14:23.945 he says, comfort one another with these words. 14:24.025 --> 14:25.971 Well, what words? 14:25.972 --> 14:31.412 The words that death is not final because Jesus is coming for us. 14:31.932 --> 14:34.972 You see, Jesus is coming back for his church. 14:35.032 --> 14:36.531 Amen? 14:36.532 --> 14:39.592 Why in the world, in the midst of pain and suffering, 14:39.772 --> 14:42.752 in this darkness of this world, the midst of death, 14:43.232 --> 14:47.112 how could we have a sense of rejoicing and a sense of hope in that? 14:47.112 --> 14:49.652 Well, because Jesus is coming back to fix everything. 14:51.436 --> 14:57.236 Now, our passage today speaks of the rapture of believers. 14:57.716 --> 15:03.276 In verse number 17, this word caught up means to snatch up by force. 15:03.756 --> 15:07.116 It was translated as raptura in Latin, 15:07.816 --> 15:12.376 and that's where we get our English word from that Latin word, rapture, 15:12.876 --> 15:16.876 which is referring to this caught up, the snatching up of believers 15:16.876 --> 15:19.936 who are alive on the earth when Jesus returns. 15:20.478 --> 15:26.098 Now, there's a whole lot of debate among the Christian world about when the rapture is going to take place. 15:26.138 --> 15:28.538 Is it going to take place before the Great Tribulation? 15:28.658 --> 15:30.758 Is it going to take place after the Great Tribulation? 15:30.898 --> 15:33.838 Is it going to take place in the middle of the Great Tribulation? 15:35.142 --> 15:41.662 reading the text clearly the timing of the rapture is not Paul's focus because he doesn't address the 15:41.662 --> 15:48.142 timing so since it's not the focus and the point of the passage I'm not going to get into the weeds 15:48.142 --> 15:55.322 of the timing today but Lord willing next Sunday morning when we look at chapter 5 and I unpack the 15:55.322 --> 16:02.022 the day of the Lord I plan to briefly share what I think about the timing of the rapture but here's 16:07.509 --> 16:08.908 Jesus is coming back again. 16:07.942 --> 16:08.909 the point I want to make today? I want to make the point of the text. 16:08.909 --> 16:10.888 Parousia. 16:10.889 --> 16:14.148 And when he arrives, when he comes, 16:14.149 --> 16:18.368 he's going to gather all of his people to himself. 16:18.369 --> 16:21.468 Those who've died have gone to be with him in heaven. 16:21.469 --> 16:23.408 It says right here, he's going to bring with him 16:23.409 --> 16:25.208 those who sleep in Christ, 16:25.209 --> 16:30.644 implying they're with him now, right? 16:30.645 --> 16:36.584 Those of us who are alive on the earth at that time will be snatched up to be with the Lord. 16:36.585 --> 16:40.384 Now, remember the Thessalonians, they were very concerned about their fellow believers who had already died. 16:40.385 --> 16:43.004 They were grieving they're going to somehow miss out on the return of Christ. 16:43.005 --> 16:44.105 And Paul says here, and I think it's the main point. 16:46.105 --> 16:48.924 He says, no, you're not going to miss out. 16:48.925 --> 16:50.253 In fact, they're going to rise first. 16:52.533 --> 16:53.372 They're not missing out at all. 16:53.373 --> 16:55.932 And here's what we learned, 16:55.933 --> 16:58.672 the body of every single believer in Christ 16:58.673 --> 17:01.972 will be raised from the dead. 17:01.973 --> 17:04.432 You say, are dead, they're gonna be raised? 17:04.433 --> 17:05.992 Yes, that's what the Bible teaches. 17:05.993 --> 17:07.013 Now in verse number 14, 17:08.333 --> 17:11.132 it talks about when Jesus returns, 17:11.133 --> 17:13.832 he's gonna bring with those who sleep in Christ 17:13.833 --> 17:16.872 and God is going to raise their body 17:16.873 --> 17:17.731 from the dead, from dust. 17:17.732 --> 17:19.351 From ashes. 17:19.352 --> 17:22.811 They're going to be resurrected. 17:22.812 --> 17:28.491 They're going to be reconstituted and put back together. 17:28.492 --> 17:31.611 And their spirit is going to come with the Lord and it's going to be rejoined to their bodies. 17:31.612 --> 17:36.931 They're going to be given a resurrected body like Jesus was. 17:36.932 --> 17:39.891 And for those of us who might still be on the earth at the time when that happens, 17:39.892 --> 17:44.484 we also will be given resurrected glorified bodies. 17:44.485 --> 17:49.744 Now, remember, you may not have noticed it, but we read it a moment ago. 17:49.745 --> 17:52.684 In verse number 14, Paul grounds our future resurrection in the resurrection of Jesus. 17:52.685 --> 18:00.104 He says in verse number 14, he says, 18:00.105 --> 18:07.396 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. 18:07.397 --> 18:09.396 Now, Paul also grounds our future resurrection in the resurrection of Jesus in 1 Corinthians 15. 18:09.397 --> 18:11.296 I'd encourage you to read the whole chapter. 18:11.297 --> 18:13.256 We only can read a couple of verses. 18:13.257 --> 18:15.696 Verse 51 says, 18:15.697 --> 18:19.676 "...Behold, I tell you a great mystery. 18:19.677 --> 18:23.336 We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. 18:23.337 --> 18:27.696 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, 18:27.697 --> 18:28.828 for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible." 18:28.829 --> 18:31.568 and we shall be changed. 18:31.569 --> 18:34.468 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, 18:34.469 --> 18:38.308 and this moral must put on immortality. 18:38.309 --> 18:41.288 The Lord is going to return with a shout. 18:41.289 --> 18:43.628 The voice of an archangel, the trumpet of God, 18:43.629 --> 18:47.028 is going to sound, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 18:47.029 --> 18:49.028 Those of us who are alive on the earth will also be raised, 18:49.029 --> 18:53.068 and we'll all be given incorruptible. 18:53.069 --> 18:57.468 Incorruptible means no more pain, no more aging, no more. 18:57.469 --> 18:59.748 No more sickness, no more suffering, incorruptible, immortal. 18:59.749 --> 19:02.648 That means we're never going to die again. 19:02.649 --> 19:09.248 We're going to be given these wonderful bodies. 19:09.249 --> 19:10.729 What a glorious day that will be when Jesus comes to rescue his church from his impending judgment. 19:14.589 --> 19:15.884 Now, if we back up to John chapter 11 again. 19:20.144 --> 19:23.823 When Jesus approaches the tomb of his friend Lazarus, 19:23.824 --> 19:27.563 he asks for the stone to be rolled away from the tomb. 19:27.564 --> 19:28.683 And Martha said, Lord, we can't do that. 19:28.684 --> 19:29.863 It's already been four days. 19:29.864 --> 19:32.783 There's already a stench. 19:32.784 --> 19:35.503 In other words, let us not go through the pain of that. 19:35.504 --> 19:37.183 Let us remember our brother as he was. 19:37.184 --> 19:38.443 We shouldn't have to smell his dead body. 19:38.444 --> 19:41.783 And I sympathize with that. 19:41.784 --> 19:43.243 Seeing your loved one's dead body is hard enough. 19:43.244 --> 19:44.470 I don't want to smell it. 19:48.670 --> 19:54.949 Jesus insisted that they roll the stone away. 19:54.950 --> 19:57.629 And when it was removed, Jesus raised his voice and he shouted with a loud voice. 19:57.630 --> 20:00.229 He says, Lazarus, come forth. 20:00.230 --> 20:06.989 And Lazarus walked out of the grave. 20:06.990 --> 20:10.306 One old preacher said, if Jesus hadn't called him by name, every grave would have opened and every corpse would have come forth. 20:19.846 --> 20:23.605 Someday, every grave containing a believer will be opened and every corpse will come forth. 20:23.606 --> 20:25.409 Because when Jesus returns, what does our passage say? 20:27.529 --> 20:30.408 He's going to raise his voice, isn't he? 20:30.409 --> 20:31.648 He's going to shout, and the dead in Christ shall rise. 20:31.649 --> 20:33.168 And I don't know if it's going to be general, 20:33.169 --> 20:35.788 brothers and sisters, come forth, 20:35.789 --> 20:36.608 or maybe he'll call us by name. 20:36.609 --> 20:38.788 I don't know. 20:38.789 --> 20:39.988 Brenda, come forth. 20:39.989 --> 20:41.168 Donald, come forth. 20:41.169 --> 20:42.288 Charity, come forth. 20:42.289 --> 20:43.948 Roger, come forth. 20:43.949 --> 20:46.548 I don't know how it's going to happen, 20:46.549 --> 20:49.868 but with the shout, the voice of an archangel, 20:49.869 --> 20:50.909 the trumpet of God, the dead in Christ shall rise. 20:52.709 --> 20:56.138 It's going to be a glorious day. 21:00.278 --> 21:02.077 You know, for many people, cemeteries are dreadful places. 21:02.078 --> 21:03.458 I understand that. 21:04.918 --> 21:08.597 It's a hard memory. 21:08.598 --> 21:09.598 It's a dreadful place in many ways. 21:15.178 --> 21:16.218 But my dad used to occasionally refer to cemeteries as resurrection ground. 21:20.018 --> 21:23.277 And I think that's a great way for us as believers to think about it. 21:23.278 --> 21:25.377 Because Jesus isn't going to leave us in the grave. 21:25.378 --> 21:27.492 He's coming for us. 21:33.632 --> 21:38.471 I heard about a pastor whose wife had just died and he was mourning her loss. 21:38.472 --> 21:41.651 But he was scheduled to do a baptism that coming Sunday. 21:41.652 --> 21:44.151 He was supposed to baptize a little girl who was in the church. 21:44.152 --> 21:46.191 And he was grieving. 21:46.192 --> 21:48.611 He really didn't feel up to it. 21:48.612 --> 21:51.491 So he confided in a friend about how he was feeling. 21:51.492 --> 21:53.292 And the friend said, well, you know, you don't have to do that baptism. 21:54.572 --> 21:56.810 She'll understand. 21:56.811 --> 22:01.170 But after he thought about it for a while, 22:01.171 --> 22:03.930 I said, no, I said I would baptize her. 22:03.931 --> 22:07.530 I should baptize her, it'll mean a lot to her. 22:07.531 --> 22:11.030 And so Sunday came around and before the baptism, 22:11.031 --> 22:12.950 the pastor could overhear the little girl 22:12.951 --> 22:14.410 in the next room talking with her friend 22:14.411 --> 22:15.830 who came to watch the baptism. 22:15.831 --> 22:18.570 And her friend asked her, you know, 22:18.571 --> 22:20.850 what's gonna happen when you're baptized? 22:20.851 --> 22:22.570 So the little girl explained about how her pastor 22:22.571 --> 22:25.594 was gonna lower her. 22:25.595 --> 22:29.774 under the water, symbolizing the death of Jesus. 22:29.775 --> 22:32.374 And then that her pastor was going to raise her up out of the water, 22:32.375 --> 22:33.755 symbolizing the resurrection of Jesus. 22:39.055 --> 22:41.975 And the little girl said, well, what if your pastor leaves you down under the water? 22:45.695 --> 22:48.994 The little girl said, oh, my pastor loves me. 22:48.995 --> 22:51.614 He would never leave me down under. 22:52.894 --> 22:56.053 Jesus loves us. 22:56.054 --> 22:59.153 He would never leave us down under. 22:59.154 --> 23:01.553 Our very bodies that we know so well, 23:01.554 --> 23:05.593 and that's what we grieve so much when a loved one dies, 23:05.594 --> 23:06.893 they're going to be raised from the dead when he comes with a shout, 23:06.894 --> 23:07.983 he's coming for us. 23:10.783 --> 23:17.662 Now, in verse number 17, I love how it says, 23:17.663 --> 23:21.882 we who are alive and remain on the earth at that time will be caught up together with them to meet them in the clouds. 23:21.883 --> 23:29.322 That word, together with them, that's language of reunion. 23:29.323 --> 23:31.663 You see, the coming of Jesus is going to result in the greatest family reunion in history. 23:36.923 --> 23:38.138 Sometimes people will ask, they say, Pastor, are we going to recognize each other in heaven? 23:38.718 --> 23:40.957 Of course. 23:40.958 --> 23:43.157 We're not going to know less in heaven. 23:43.158 --> 23:49.677 We're going to know more in heaven. 23:49.678 --> 23:53.797 One of the euphemisms in the Old Testament, when a believer, Old Testament saint died, 23:53.798 --> 23:55.718 it would say, so-and-so was gathered to their people. 24:01.938 --> 24:03.856 This week, I thought a lot about some of my people I'm going to be gathered with. 24:08.536 --> 24:09.756 I'm going to once again be gathered with my grandparents, who I love so much. 24:13.456 --> 24:16.895 I'm going to be gathered with my sister Charity, who died when I was just a baby. 24:16.896 --> 24:21.217 I'm going to be gathered with my dad again. 24:21.218 --> 24:23.457 I'm going to be with so many in our church family who I love so much. 24:23.458 --> 24:24.577 I'm going to get to meet a lot of people I've always wanted to meet, 24:24.578 --> 24:27.357 but never had the opportunity. 24:27.358 --> 24:30.397 Men and women of great faith throughout the centuries. 24:30.398 --> 24:32.077 I'm going to get to meet my mother-in-law, Brenda, 24:32.078 --> 24:35.757 who I never got a chance to meet. 24:35.758 --> 24:40.577 We're going to be gathered together in this wonderful, 24:40.578 --> 24:42.112 the greatest family reunion in history, the reunion of the church family. 24:44.972 --> 24:46.911 When we do that, we're all going to have these resurrected bodies. 24:46.912 --> 24:51.351 Now, it's hard for us to get our mind around that. 24:51.352 --> 24:56.211 I'd encourage you, read 1 Corinthians 15 if you want to learn about these bodies 24:56.212 --> 24:57.671 because they're going to be similar to our current bodies but different. 24:57.672 --> 24:59.471 They're going to be better. 24:59.472 --> 25:01.411 They're going to be immortal. 25:01.412 --> 25:06.751 There's going to be a sense of continuity. 25:06.752 --> 25:09.871 Remember, they could recognize that Jesus, who he was, but he also walked through walls. 25:09.872 --> 25:13.694 So there was continuity, yet there was discontinuity. 25:13.695 --> 25:14.875 I think we're going to be able to recognize each other, but maybe barely. 25:16.935 --> 25:19.474 Pastor Andrew, is that really you? 25:19.475 --> 25:23.075 You look so much better than you did on earth. 25:24.655 --> 25:31.475 I'm sort of counting on that. 25:39.355 --> 25:40.415 But as great and wonderful as that reunion with loved ones will be, 25:45.215 --> 25:46.557 It will pale in comparison to meeting Jesus. 25:48.237 --> 25:52.036 Because that actually is the point here. 25:52.037 --> 25:52.376 He says we're going to be caught up together with them in the clouds. 25:52.377 --> 25:55.196 Why? 25:55.197 --> 25:58.636 To meet the Lord in the air. 25:58.637 --> 26:04.256 And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 26:04.257 --> 26:05.336 Now this word to meet was used of a throng of people who would gather to see the king arrive. 26:05.337 --> 26:06.716 Parousia. 26:06.717 --> 26:08.376 He has come. 26:08.377 --> 26:11.216 Jesus is going to come. 26:11.217 --> 26:14.656 And we're going to meet him in the air. 26:14.657 --> 26:16.055 You see, someday we're going to see Jesus face to face. 26:16.855 --> 26:18.615 Face to face. 26:22.875 --> 26:28.574 What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see. 26:28.575 --> 26:32.614 I shall look upon his face, the one who saved me by his grace. 26:32.615 --> 26:36.014 And when he takes me by the hand and leads me through the promised land, 26:36.015 --> 26:38.633 what a day, glorious day, that will be. 26:44.873 --> 26:46.312 Fannie Crosby was just a tremendous hymn writer who was blind. 26:46.313 --> 26:50.332 She could not see. 26:50.333 --> 26:53.392 There was an accident when she was just a baby involving a doctor putting some medicine 26:53.393 --> 26:55.793 in her eyes that ended up causing her to go blind. 27:01.433 --> 27:03.412 And she often expressed that if she was given the opportunity to see again, 27:03.413 --> 27:04.975 that she would choose to remain blind. 27:13.895 --> 27:16.715 And her reasoning was that she said, the first face that I want to see when I get to heaven is the face of Jesus. 27:20.195 --> 27:21.395 What an awesome moment that must have been for her. 27:23.975 --> 27:25.074 See, today we walk by faith, don't we? 27:25.075 --> 27:26.314 And that's okay. 27:26.315 --> 27:29.034 I love walking by faith. 27:29.035 --> 27:30.338 It sure beats not walking by faith. 27:35.658 --> 27:40.257 But someday we will walk not by faith, we will walk by sight. 27:40.258 --> 27:43.057 For we shall behold him in all of his glory. 27:43.058 --> 27:47.717 And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 27:47.718 --> 27:48.918 What a wonderful thought to always be in the presence of Jesus. 27:53.138 --> 27:56.477 The psalmist said that in your presence, Lord, is fullness of joy. 27:56.478 --> 27:58.655 And at your right hand are pleasures evermore. 28:02.315 --> 28:04.254 Verse number 18, Paul gives us our command of the passage. 28:04.255 --> 28:08.394 This is our application. 28:08.395 --> 28:09.395 He says, therefore, comfort one another with these words. 28:13.935 --> 28:14.955 See, this passage is not about the timing of the rapture. 28:16.755 --> 28:18.334 After all, we're not on the planning committee. 28:18.335 --> 28:20.335 We're on the welcoming committee. 28:21.795 --> 28:23.194 The point is very clear. 28:23.195 --> 28:26.654 The application is very clear. 28:26.655 --> 28:28.134 Comfort one another with these words. 28:28.135 --> 28:29.148 And that's what I'm trying to do today. 28:34.148 --> 28:38.207 to bring some comfort to our church family who's grieving. 28:38.208 --> 28:41.027 Maybe you've lost a loved one recently more, 28:41.028 --> 28:45.407 who you love more than life itself. 28:45.408 --> 28:48.368 You had no idea how bad it could hurt. 28:50.888 --> 28:55.767 Maybe it wasn't that recent, maybe it was years ago, 28:55.768 --> 28:58.476 maybe it was decades ago, and yet the wound seems so fresh. 28:58.477 --> 29:01.016 You've never properly healed from it. 29:01.017 --> 29:02.797 You've been grieving their loss as a forever loss. 29:07.057 --> 29:08.917 Now, admittedly, that's one of the most challenging things about death, isn't it? 29:08.918 --> 29:11.017 That it's so final. 29:11.018 --> 29:13.557 I mean, there's no rewinding the clock. 29:13.558 --> 29:15.597 There's no going back to fix it. 29:15.598 --> 29:16.457 We should have gone to the doctor sooner. 29:16.458 --> 29:17.437 We should have done this. 29:17.438 --> 29:18.457 We should have done that. 29:18.458 --> 29:19.477 We can't go back. 29:19.478 --> 29:20.117 It's so final. 29:20.118 --> 29:21.637 It's done. 29:21.638 --> 29:24.457 There's no going back. 29:24.458 --> 29:25.597 And so maybe you've been grieving as one without hope. 29:25.598 --> 29:26.477 But I want to encourage you today. 29:26.478 --> 29:29.017 There's hope. 29:29.018 --> 29:34.192 Death is not final for the believer. 29:34.193 --> 29:38.232 And while we cannot rewind the clock to change things in the past, 29:38.233 --> 29:40.932 the clock is ticking forward to the coming of the Lord. 29:40.933 --> 29:44.812 Someday, the Lord's going to return. 29:44.813 --> 29:49.992 Someday, with a shout, the clouds are going to part. 29:49.993 --> 29:52.592 He's going to descend upon the earth, and he's going to shout with the voice of an archangel, 29:52.593 --> 29:59.032 the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise. 29:59.033 --> 30:00.053 All of us are going to be gathered together in this glorious reunion to meet the Lord in the air. 30:04.393 --> 30:05.753 And I hope and I pray that's comforting to you. 30:09.813 --> 30:11.452 Now, it could be that you're listening to these words, 30:11.453 --> 30:12.453 you're listening to this passage, 30:14.273 --> 30:15.293 and you say, man, that seems, 30:16.773 --> 30:18.432 what you're feeling and expressing, 30:18.433 --> 30:20.332 I've never felt that about death. 30:20.333 --> 30:23.113 That seems like a pipe dream. 30:25.573 --> 30:26.713 You're not able to experience comfort right now. 30:28.593 --> 30:30.361 Why? Because you don't know Jesus. 30:31.941 --> 30:33.221 The comfort comes from Jesus. 30:34.821 --> 30:36.281 The comfort comes from his spirit. 30:41.861 --> 30:44.540 You see, all of us, for all of sin, the Bible says, and fallen short of the glory of God. 30:44.541 --> 30:46.020 And for the wages of sin is death. 30:46.021 --> 30:47.761 Remember, death is separation. 30:50.241 --> 30:52.160 Physical separation, but spiritual separation. 30:52.161 --> 30:53.000 So that we can know about God. 30:53.001 --> 30:53.280 He created everything. 30:53.281 --> 30:55.323 Yeah. 30:55.324 --> 30:57.523 Everything didn't come from nothing. 30:57.524 --> 31:01.083 We can logically connect the dots. 31:01.084 --> 31:04.843 Okay, there is a creator, there is a designer, but I don't know him. 31:04.844 --> 31:05.984 Well, we don't know him because we've been separated from him because of our sin. 31:13.284 --> 31:19.683 But the message of the Bible is that God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten son, 31:19.684 --> 31:27.665 that whoever believes in him, that's Jesus, shall not perish, but will have everlasting life. 31:27.666 --> 31:29.086 The Bible says, if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and you believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you also will be saved. 31:35.646 --> 31:39.006 So I want to invite you to let these amazing words become personal to you. 31:41.426 --> 31:45.285 In just a moment, we're going to stand to our feet. 31:45.286 --> 31:49.325 There's going to be pastors and other leaders here at the front. 31:49.326 --> 31:53.234 We're going to ask you to give your life to Jesus, both here and at Olive Drive. 31:56.014 --> 31:57.194 In fact, let's just bow together in an attitude of prayer right now. 32:00.554 --> 32:03.833 In a moment, I'm going to pray, and then we're going to sing. 32:03.834 --> 32:06.293 We're going to stand up, and there's going to be pastors and leaders. 32:06.294 --> 32:08.994 We're going to ask you to come and give your life to Jesus. 32:10.194 --> 32:11.254 Say, I want to be forgiven. 32:12.594 --> 32:13.933 I want this life. 32:13.934 --> 32:14.994 I want everlasting life. 32:20.334 --> 32:22.748 You know, God says in His Word that He's placed eternity into the hearts of people. 32:24.348 --> 32:26.767 That's one of the reasons we fear death. 32:26.768 --> 32:27.788 We don't want to cease to exist. 32:30.128 --> 32:32.968 There's a connection to life. 32:34.228 --> 32:36.127 God gave us that. 32:36.128 --> 32:36.787 It's part of being made in His image. 32:36.788 --> 32:39.347 He's eternal. 32:39.348 --> 32:41.507 We're created to be everlasting beings, 32:41.508 --> 32:45.209 but sin causes death. 32:52.969 --> 32:55.968 And the good news of the Bible is that God loves us so much that He paid the penalty of sin and death. 32:55.969 --> 32:58.008 Why? So that we could be given life. 32:58.009 --> 32:59.589 This great exchange. 33:01.669 --> 33:03.089 Our sin for His righteousness. 33:05.409 --> 33:11.068 I want to invite you to experience it today. 33:11.069 --> 33:12.513 There's nothing like experiencing the love and the grace of God in your life. 33:15.933 --> 33:19.732 If you don't have a personal relationship with him, in just a moment when we stand, 33:19.733 --> 33:20.852 I'm going to ask you that you not wait, that you just step out and you come forward, 33:20.853 --> 33:23.972 both here and at Olive Drive. 33:23.973 --> 33:25.992 You walk down one of these aisles, you walk down one of these staircases, 33:25.993 --> 33:29.812 you take one of these leaders by the hand and you say, 33:29.813 --> 33:31.373 I want to trust Jesus as my Savior today. 33:32.293 --> 33:35.532 God met me here. 33:35.533 --> 33:39.452 Maybe you came not expecting anything today, really, 33:39.453 --> 33:41.420 but God has met you where you're at. 33:42.520 --> 33:43.560 And He's seeking you out. 33:49.260 --> 33:50.540 I want to invite you to yield to Him, to say yes to Him, to invite Him into your life. 33:53.300 --> 33:56.000 Maybe say, I want to be baptized like others today. 33:58.140 --> 34:03.659 Other baptisms throughout our morning. 34:03.660 --> 34:05.163 We had 10 at 9.30 from kids who rode, ride our bus. 34:06.803 --> 34:09.742 to church every Sunday. 34:09.743 --> 34:12.162 Giving their life to Jesus, went public. 34:12.163 --> 34:14.762 Maybe you want to go public with your faith through baptism. 34:14.763 --> 34:16.822 Being baptized isn't what saves you. 34:16.823 --> 34:19.942 Coming to church isn't what saves you. 34:19.943 --> 34:21.422 Doing good isn't what saves you. 34:21.423 --> 34:23.000 What saves you is Jesus. 34:23.440 --> 34:25.759 Grace. 34:25.760 --> 34:26.799 I want to invite you to experience that. 34:26.800 --> 34:30.679 Maybe say, I want to be baptized. 34:30.680 --> 34:33.079 Maybe I want to, maybe you want to join the church, 34:33.080 --> 34:33.719 become an official part of our church family. 34:33.720 --> 34:35.059 Let us know. 34:35.060 --> 34:37.899 We'd love to visit with you about that. 34:37.900 --> 34:39.260 Or maybe you just want to come to these steps and pray. 34:42.260 --> 34:42.799 My prayer is that God would bring us comfort today in Him. 34:42.800 --> 34:43.219 Let's pray. 34:43.220 --> 34:45.020 Father, 34:49.520 --> 34:50.520 thank you so much, Lord, 34:52.420 --> 34:52.599 for coming the first time. 34:52.600 --> 34:55.940 Amen. 35:03.200 --> 35:08.179 not to gather us up, not to judge the world, but you came the first time to lay down your 35:08.180 --> 35:14.299 life for us. 35:14.300 --> 35:19.779 You who are infinite became an infant. 35:19.780 --> 35:23.539 You took on human flesh of a little baby and you lived a perfect life that we have all 35:23.540 --> 35:25.218 failed to live and then you died, the innocent for the guilty. 35:26.058 --> 35:28.418 So that we can live. 35:34.578 --> 35:37.718 Thank you for these wonderful promises in your word that someday we shall rise as you rose. 35:41.158 --> 35:47.137 Please comfort everyone who needs it. 35:47.138 --> 35:48.640 Lord, throughout the morning I've seen faces. 35:55.540 --> 35:57.360 of people who've recently, very recently, lost people that they love so much. 36:02.360 --> 36:03.940 Spouses, siblings, parents. 36:10.740 --> 36:11.879 And Lord, when we lose someone that close to us, sometimes it's like we've lost our purpose. 36:11.880 --> 36:13.362 We've lost our... 36:19.062 --> 36:23.801 setting and our footing, and it feels like we've almost lost our identity, our purpose. And I pray, 36:23.802 --> 36:33.441 Lord, for those people and for all of us that we would recognize that we're all still here on earth 36:33.442 --> 36:39.081 because you have a plan for us. We still have incredible purpose in your kingdom. And so I pray, 36:39.082 --> 36:40.936 Lord, that you would help all of us not find our identity in anyone else but you. 36:42.436 --> 36:44.355 Would you comfort the brokenhearted? 36:44.356 --> 36:46.695 Would you be near to them? 36:46.696 --> 36:49.795 And would you draw people to yourself? 36:49.796 --> 36:50.635 Please open their eyes, open their hearts, we ask in Jesus' name. 36:50.636 --> 36:52.640 Amen. 36:52.641 --> 36:54.460 Thanks for listening today. 36:54.461 --> 36:57.840 We hope you enjoyed this message. 36:57.841 --> 37:00.600 And if you did, we would be so grateful if you left us a review. 37:00.601 --> 37:03.460 Also, go ahead and subscribe to the podcast 37:03.461 --> 37:07.180 if you would like to be notified when a new sermon is released. 37:07.181 --> 37:11.080 If you feel the Lord calling you to take the next step in faith 37:11.081 --> 37:15.158 through salvation, service, or giving, don't wait. 37:15.159 --> 37:17.658 reach out to us by texting PODCAST to 88988. 37:17.659 --> 37:21.078 That's PODCAST to 88988 37:21.079 --> 37:24.218 or connect with us on one of our social media platforms. 37:24.219 --> 37:26.798 You can also visit our website, valleybaptist.org, 37:26.799 --> 37:28.998 to find even more great resources. 37:28.999 --> 37:31.718 No matter where you are in your journey, 37:31.719 --> 37:34.718 know that we love you, we're praying for you, 37:34.719 --> 37:44.719 and we can't wait to see what God will do in your life.